week 04, sunday, immediately post-execution

[hopefragment]

[Or, well, presumably a couple minutes after execution. What with the drama of team pride's deathshocks, it was a bit of a chaotic scene after Vegeta faced his end. Endish. Whatever one would call a seemingly-endless battle. Whenever that is, Hinata takes a moment to look around for a certain incredibly tiny girl whom he'd had to restrain earlier, because even after all that yelling, he... can't be sure that she's going to be okay. But she's gone??

Maybe she's already headed back to her room; a quick, hurried half-walk, half-run sends him back into the hotel and up the stairs, trying to catch up with her and finally finding her on the third floor, likely heading into her room.]

Hey, Clover-!

[He only sounds slightly winded from his jog. If nothing else, he's fairly good at running.]

Comments

[fourleafcleaver]

[She stays just long enough to—she isn't even sure. To be certain it's real, maybe, that he's really been punished for it, and the second time Vegeta bleeds out isn't any more satisfying to watch than the first (it should bother her, maybe, that it was satisfying at all in the first place) and she leaves the moment she has the chance, exhausted from her outburst and hating herself for it in the first place.

There isn't even enough left in her to act angry at whoever's coming up behind her and she means to keep walking until she recognizes the voice as Hinata's.

She stops and turns around, eyes wide, mouth hung open in a tiny o of surprise. It takes her another second to actually speak, her voice hoarse and strained from all that goddamn yelling.] Ah... Yeah?

[Attempts to sound normal are being made. Not successfully, but they're happening.]

[hopefragment]

[At least the attempt is there. Now that he's actually found her, though, he's realized he doesn't know what he's supposed to say, his thoughts stuttering to an uncertain stop. Sure did watch a guy die repeatedly, how'd that make you feel? doesn't seem like a good start. He'll just take another few steps forward to try to help close the gap.]

I, um... how're you feeling...?

[Probably like shit, if she feels anything like he does, though maybe for a different reason. He'd known from the start that no matter who the victim is, he... can't even feel better from watching their punishment.]

[fourleafcleaver]

I'm fine. [The answer is automatic and exactly as unconvincing as it has been every other time she's tried it. She stuffs her hands in the pockets of her hoodie and glances away from him.

Not that she's doing a great job at this whole speaking thing anyway, but her voice is especially soft when she continues:] Sorry. ...About earlier. [She hasn't apologized to anyone for anything all month, but that. That happened.]

[hopefragment]

...It's fine. I understand, I really... wanted to punch him, too.

[He doesn't believe that reflexive "I'm fine," of hers, instead just continuing to move forward until he's close enough to gently touch her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him.]

I just... if you wanted to talk about it, or... anything, I don't want you to feel like... you can't. You know?

[He's fumbling badly with his words, but he is trying. Some protag.]

[fourleafcleaver]

["Punch" really only starts what she was hoping to achieve there, however useless it might have been, and she doesn't think he can understand when she had really, sincerely wanted to see Vegeta torn apart for what he did.

But the hand on her shoulder does get her to look at him, just for a second. Tears start welling up in her eyes again and she has to look away, hoping he won't notice, but they keep coming and she has to wipe her face with her jacket sleeves, like that's even really doing anything. Ugh, she thought she was done having feelings the week after last, this has to stop???]

Thank you... [All she's done is cause problems and he's still done nothing but worry for her. Is it successful or a massive failure in protagging if the target cries? It's sure been a weekend. It's sure been a month.] Thank you, Hajime...

[hopefragment]

[That far, he can't understand. He's a good boy who doesn't want to see anyone killed for any reason?? A loser.

He really should have expected her to start crying, but it comes as a surprise to him all the same, his lips parting in sudden alarm. Bullying a girl... not cool, Hinata-kun.]

Shit... [It's a quiet murmur of frustration, because he can't help but feel like he's somehow messed up now that she's crying. Except she's... thanking him? Trials he can figure out, but but something like this apparently still a mystery to him.]

You don't... have to thank me, [he says finally, gently tugging her shoulder toward him. If she wants to hug him so he won't see her cry, he definitely won't argue. If she doesn't, that's fine, too, he'll just keep kind of awkwardly standing there trying to pretend that she isn't crying.] We all... have to stick together, yeah?

[fourleafcleaver]

[She goes right in for the hug, and she's probably too small to be entirely effective at it but it's like she's trying to squeeze the life out of him. Making it easier to pretend she's totally not crying acts as an excellent bonus, but mostly she just really wants a hug without any screaming this time around.]

...Yeah. [He might not even hear her; she doesn't lift her face and ends up mumbling into his shirt (which she's now in the process of covering in tears and boogers; the things he puts up with). Four weeks in a row, someone's been murdered, and knowing that, she can't look at who's left and imagine them all sticking together through this—twenty-nine people will die here; she's known that from the start—but she trusts Hinata.] Yeah. Thank you.

[A pause so she can sniffle and catch her breath, and she tries to speak more clearly but her voice is still watery when she adds:] Did you really run all the way here?

[hopefragment]

[Alright, hugs he can do, and as soon as she buries her face against him, he wraps both arms around her to hold her nearly as tight as she's hugging him. She's much smaller than him, after all, and he doesn't want to squeeze too hard. Just enough to make sure she feels secure.

When she thanks him again, he takes a breath and bends a bit, just enough to press his nose against the top of her head, grip tightening just a little more around her.]

No problem. [Even if he's going to have to wash this shirt, it's worth it? It's absolutely worth it, and even when she speaks again, he doesn't let go, instead shaking with a quiet laugh.]

I... yeah. I was worried about you. After what happened. I know you'll be okay, you're really strong, but I just... wanted to make sure.

[fourleafcleaver]

[Potential embarrassment over crying in the middle of the hall takes a backseat to how comfortable this hug is, easily—since she got here, she'd forgotten what feeling safe was like. This makes for a wonderful reminder. She even laughs, shaky and breathless and small but still. "Strong" is such a thing to call her while she's soaking his shirt through with tears.]

Mostly I'm just loud. [It's the perfect cover-up; do enough yelling and it's like you never had emotions in the first place. She fidgets a little, considering looking up at him, then decides on hugging him tighter instead.] You shouldn't have done that.

[hopefragment]

Is there a difference?

[Being strong, being loud, those things usually go together in his experience.

When she hugs him tighter, he just returns the favor, holding her as closely as he can (hopefully) without hurting her.]

I wanted to. I mean... we're friends, right? And that's what friends do.